Inside time! Creating a working space for creativity.

Winter on the farm comes with a permission slip to spend time indoors. December to March 15 is this lovely window of time when chores change a bit. There may be snow to shovel, horse blankets to switch out, water to haul instead of using the hoses, extra hay to throw so the horses stay warm, extra corn to feed the chickens so they, too, are warm enough. But, this is still less of an outdoor time, and more of an indoor time.
Lucky for my indoors! Because a lot of inside projects get put off until winter. My philosophy usually includes picking the very biggest job, the worst disaster I have, the thing most likely to get me put on reality television- and fix it until I find peace in that space.
Right after Christmas, I got to work. First thing? Recruit help! My girls were home for the holiday, and thus were my prime recruits.
We designed a plan, made a list of needed equipment and rolled up our sleeves.
The project was the "room at the top of the stairs." This room has had several incarnations. It originally was a half-story hallway where the girls slept between the bedrooms and the bathroom. The back stairs went from the kitchen to this little room. When we put on our addition 12 years ago, the girls got a bedroom, and this room, still at the top of the stairs was changed.  We took off the half story, raised the roof a tad, put on a shed dormer so you can stand in the room and added a laundry area. It is still between the bathroom and the bedrooms in the old house, and still has the back stair to the kitchen. It has been used as a guest room area and a craft area, as well as the laundry room. And, it had become a haphazard sort of catch-all of things that had no home.
As the kids have grown up and moved out, we have other areas for guests. And the craft and art supplies were all up there, but I think I had glitter in 10 different spots. Enough was enough!
I did not take a "before" photo. Too depressing.
So, we organized and consolidated, and recycled and "Goodwilled" (never a verb before, but the amount of stuff moved to the car and the Goodwill felt very active) and cleaned and dusted and scrubbed and moved and assembled and labeled.
I now have a useful, beautiful space that doesn't freak me out every time I walk through!

From the top of the back staircase. The little book shelves and the cabinet they back to,  I built for linens using antique leaded windows for doors when I finished this room in 2008.

A good amount of storage. And, the project request from Middlest- she wants to learn how to recover furniture, so we chose to redo this lovely chair that needs a freshen-up and bought the grey stripe. Tucked it in to see how it will look! Not so great yet, but maybe over spring break?

 The new workspace has a wrapping station, and the table easily tilts for drafting or painting. There is a roll of paper to put protection down for glueing and glitter days! I chose a soft rug with some pile. Since no dogs come upstairs, and no farm boots (ahem! Youngest!) I took a chance on a rug otherwise unsuited to life on the farm. I have caught two of our children lying on it and reading. "Luxury" depends on circumstance! The windows look up to the barn so I can keep an eye on the critters.

 The former work station stayed, after a clean up and reorganization. Add that old chair to the list of "needs a freshen-up!" Some of my favorite photos of my lifetime are under the glass top. And a collection of gifts made for Mother's Day by my little ones has a corner. Inspiration from my past.

Shelves tucked into a little set back were reorganized as well, and now, everything is labeled. There is ONE PLACE FOR GLITTER. As it should be.

Next winter project? Pick the very biggest job, the worst disaster, the thing most likely to get me put on a reality show.....my closet. Here I come!